Prayer,
according to the Holy Quran, is a universal institution, and it is not
only the righteous men and prophets that are spoken of as praying to
God, but even unbelievers and idolaters are frequently mentioned as
calling upon God when they find themselves in distress by accepting
their prayers. The Holy Quran is full of statements like the following:
“And when affliction touches a man he call on Us, whether lying
on his side or sitting, but when we remove his affliction from him,
he passes on as though he had never called on us on account of an affliction
has touched him.” (10: 12Q.) “And when harm afflicts men
they call upon their Lord, turning to Him, then when He makes them taste
of mercy from Him, lo! Some of them begin to associate others with Him.”
(30: 33Q.) The greater a man’s faith in God and the nearer he
is to Him, the more are his prayers accepted. Though it is true that
the prayer of one in distress is heard by God, yet He is the Supreme
Master, and man must submit to His will. The efficacy of prayer cannot
be denied on the ground that it is not always accepted, just as the
efficacy of medicine cannot be decide because it does not prove efficacious
in all cases. A man is at liberty to pray for anything that he needs,
but the highest prayers, and those which are most acceptable, are those
which aim at the good of Humanity, prayers of intercession for one’s
friends or relatives of community or country or for the amelioration
or guidance to the right path of human beings in general.
The prayers hereunder given can be offered after the daily prayers,
and in varying circumstances of life, one or another of them can be
adapted by a person for his/her special circumstances.
Rabba-na-ghfir la-na wa li-ikhwani-na-lladhina sabaquna bi-limani wa
la taj’al fi qulubi-na ghillan li-lladhina amanu Rabbana inna-ka
Ra’ufun Rahim.
“Our Lord! Forgive us and those of our brethren who had precedence
of us in faith, and do not allow any spite to remain in our hearts towards
those who believe; our Lord! Surely Thou art Kind, Merciful.”
(59: 10.)
Anni maghlubun fa-ntasir.
“I am overcome, come Thou to help.” (54: 10.) Allahumma’ghfir
li hayyin wa mayyitina wa shahidna wa ghai’bna wa saghirina wa
kabirina wa zakarina wa unsana. Alla humma man ahy-yaitahu mina fa-ahyihi
‘ala ‘l-Islam wa man tawaffayta-hu minna fatawaffahu ‘ala’l-Iman.
O Allah! Forgive our living and our dead and those of us who are present
and those who are absent and our little ones and our full grown ones
and our men and our women. O Allah! Whom Thou keepest alive form amongst
us, keep him alive in Islam, and whom Thou causes to die from amongst
us, make him die in faith (in Thee). ”Allahhumma an’tas
Salaam Wamin kas Salaam Tabarakta Yazal Jala’la wal Ik-Raam.“O
Allah! Thou art the fountainhead of peace and from Thou is peace, Thou
are blessed, O Lord of glory and honour.” Rabbi
‘J’alni muqim ‘s-Salati wa min zurriyati, Rabbana
wa taqabbal du’a, Rabbana’ghfirli wa li walidayya wa li’l-Mo-minina
yauma yaqum ‘l-Hisab.
My Lord! Make me keep up prayer, and my offspring too; our Lord! Accept
the prayer; our Lord! Grant protection to me and to my parents and to
the faithful on the day when the reckoning will be taken. (14: 40-41
Q.)
Rabbana la tu’akhizna in-nasina au akhtana, Rabbana wa la tahmil
‘alayna isran kama hamal tahu ‘ala-ilazina min qablina,
Rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa-fu ‘anna’
wa’ ghfirlana wa ‘rhamna anta Maulana fa’n surna ‘ala’l-qaomi’l
kafirin.
“O Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake; our
Lord! Do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us;
Our Lord! Do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength
to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us,
Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people. (2:
286 Q.) Rabbi ghfirli
wa li wali dayya wa liman dakhala batiye Mo’minina wa l-mominat.
My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and him who enters my house believing,
and the believing men and the believing women. (71: 28.) Rabbana zalamna
anfusana, wa in lam taghfir lana wa tarhamna la-nakunanna mina ‘l-khasirin.Our
Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves, and if Thou forgive us not,
and have (not) mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers. (7:
23.)
Rabbana afrigh ‘alayna sabran wa sabbit aqdamana wa ‘ansurna
‘ala ‘l-qaomi ‘l-lafirin.
Our Lord! Pour down upon us patience, and make our steps firm and assist
us against the unbelieving people. (2: 250) Rabbana atina
min ladunka rahmatan wa hayyi’ lana min amrina rashada.
Our Lord! Give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for us right conduct
in our plight. (18: 10.)Rabbi anzilni munzalan mubarakan wa anta khayru
‘l-munzilin.
O My Lord! Cause me to alight a bless alighting, and Thou art the best
to cause to alight. (23: 29.) Rabbi ‘shrah li sadri wa yassir
li amri wa ‘hlul’ uqdatan min lisani yafqahu qaoli.
O My Lord! Expand my breast for me. And ease my task for me; and loose
a knot from my tongue, (That) they may understand my saying. (20: 25-28.)
Rabba-na inna-na sami’na munadiy-an li-l-‘imani an aminu
bi-Rabbi-kum fa-amanna, Rabba-na fa-ghfir la-na dhunuba-na wa kaffir
‘an-na sayyi’ati-na wa tawaffa-na ma’a-l-abrar. Rabba-na
wa ati-na ma wa’adta-na’ala rusuli-ka wa la tukhzi-na yauma-l-qiya-mati
inna-ka la tukhlifu-l-mi’ad.Our Lord! We have heard a Preacher
calling to the faith, saying, Believe in your Lord; so we do believe;
our Lord! Forgive us our faults and cover our evil deeds and make us
die with the righteous; our Lord! And grant us what Thou hast promised
us by Thy messengers and disgrace us not on the day of resurrection;
surely Thou dost not fail to perform the promise. (3: 192, 193.) Rabbi hab
li min ladun-ka dhurriyyatan tayyiba, inna-ka Sami’ ud-du’a.My
Lord! Grant me from Thee good offspring; surely Thou art Hearer of prayer.
(3 : 37.)Rabba-na hab la-na min azwaji-na wa dhurriyyati-na qurrata
a’yunin wa j’al-na li-l-muttaqina imama.
Our Lord! Grant us in our mates and off springs the joy of our eyes
and make us patterns for those who guard against evil. (25: 74.)
Rabba-na la taj’al-na fitnatan li-l-qaumi-z-zalimin. Wa najji-na
bi-rahmati-ka min-l-qaumi-l-kafirin.
Our Lord! make us not a trial for the unjust people. And do Thou deliver
us by Thy mercy from the unbelieving people. (10: 85,86.) Rabba-na
la tuzigh quluba-na ba’da idh hadaita-na wa hab la-na min ladun-ka
ahma, inna-ka anta-l-Wahhab.
Our Lord! Do not make our hearts deviate after Thou hast guided us aright
and grant us form Thee mercy; surely Thou art the most liberal Giver.
(3: 7.) La ilaha illa anta subhana-ka inni kuntu mina-z-alimin.
There is no god besides Thee; glory be to Thee, surely I am of the wrongdoers.
(21: 87.) Rabbi zidni ‘ilma. O My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.
Rabbi auzi-ni an ashkura ni’mata-ka-llati an’amta ‘
alayya wa ‘ala walidayya wa an a’mala salih-an tardza-hu
wa aslih li fi dhurriyyati, inni tubtu ilai-ka wa inni mina-l-mus-limin.
My Lord! Grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favour which Thou
hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such
as Thou art pleased with and do good to me in respect of my offspring;
surely I turn to Thee, and I am of those who submit. (46: 15.)
Rabba-na ‘alai-ka tawakkalna wa ilai-ka anabna wa ilai-ka-l-masir.
Rabba-na la taj’al-na fitnat-an li-lladhina kafaru wa-ghfir la-na,
Rabba-na inna-ka anta-l-azizu-l-hakim.
Our Lord! On Thee do we relay, and to Thee do we turn, and to Thee is
the eventual coming. Our Lord! Do not make us a trial for those who
disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord! Surely Thou are the Mighty, the
Wise. (60: 4,5.) Allahummaihdnee feeman hadaita wa ‘afinee feeman
‘afaita wa tawallanee feeman tawallaita wa barik lee feeman a’ataita
waqinee sharra ma qadzaita fa innaka taqdzee wala yuqdza’alaika
innahoo la yazillo man walaita tabarakta rabbana wa ta’alaita.
O Allah! Guide me among those whom Thou hast guided aright and preserve
me among those whom Thou hast preserved and befriend me among those
whom Thou hast befriended and bless me in what Thou dost grant me, and
protect me from the evil of what Thou hast judged; for surely Thou judgest
and none can judge against Thee; surely he whom Thou be friendst is
not disgraced. Blessed art Thou our Lord, and Exalted.
Allahumma innee as aloka hubbaka wa hubba man yahibboka wal ’
amalallazee yabollighonee hubbaka.
O Allah! I ask Thee Thy love ad love of those who love Thee and adorn
me with deeds which lead me to Thy love. Anta waliyyu-na fa-ghfir la-na
wa-rham-na wa Anta Khairu-l-ghafirin. Wa-ktub la-na fi hadhi-d-dunya
hasantan wa fi-l-akhirati inna hudna ilai-ka. Thou art our Guardian,
therefore, forgive us and have mercy on us, and Thou art the Best of
the forgivers. And ordain for us good in this world’s life and
in the hereafter, for surely we turn to Thee. (7: 155-156.)
Rabbi inni li-ma anzalta liayya min khairin faqir.
My Lord! Surely I stand in need of whatever good Thou mayest send to
me. (28: 24.)
Rabba-na-srif ‘an-na ‘adhaba Jahannam, inna’ adhaba-ha
kana gharama, inna-ha sa’at mustaqarr-an wa muqama.
O our Lord! Turn away from us the chastisement of hell, surely the chastisement
thereof is a lasting evil: Surely it is an evil abode and (an evil)
place to stay in. (25: 65,66.)

Rabbi la tazarni fardan wa anta khayru ‘l-warissin.
My Lord! Leave me not childless, though Thou art the best of inheritors.
(21: 89.) Anni
massani-ya ‘d-durru wa anta arhammu ‘r-rahimin.
Lo! Adversity afflicteth me, and Thou art Most Merciful of all who show
mercy.
Rabba-na amanna bi-ma anzal-ta wa-ttaba’na-r-rasula fa-ktub-na
ma’a-sh-shahidin.
Our Lord! We believe in what Thou hast revealed and we follow the Apostle,
se write us down with those who bear witness. (3: 52.)
Rabbi-ghfir wa-rham wa Anta Khairu-r-rahimin.
O my Lord! Forgive and have mercy, and Thou art the best of the Merciful
ones. (23: 118.)Rabba-na ma khalaqta hadha batila, subhana-ka fa-qi-na
‘adhaba-n-nar, rabba-na innaka man tudkhili-n-nara fa-qad akhzaita-hu,
wa ma li-z-zalimina min ansar.
Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain; glory be to Thee! Save
us from the chastisement of the fire. Our Lord! Surely whomsoever Thou
makest enter the fire, him Thou hast indeed brought to disgrace, and
there shall be no helpers for the unjust. Rabbi
inni a’udhu bi-ka an as’ala-ka ma laisa li bi-hi ‘ilm,
wa illa taghfir-li wa tarhamni akun mina-l-lkhasirin.
My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee, from asking Thee that of which I have
no knowledge; and if Thou shouldst not forgive me and have mercy on
me, I should be of the losers.